Kholodnyk

Kholodnyk is a summer cold soup of Ukrainian cuisine, ideal for hot days. Unlike the classic hot borsch, it is not fully cooked but prepared on a base of boiled and grated young beetroot poured over kvass (syrivets) or a cold fermented-milk base — whey, buttermilk, or kefir.

Finely chopped fresh vegetables are added to kholodnyk — cucumbers, radish, green onion, dill — as well as boiled eggs. The dish takes on a characteristic rich pink-crimson colour and a pleasant sweet-and-sour taste. Kholodnyk is served well chilled, often with boiled potatoes on the side. This light, refreshing, yet nourishing dish is the Ukrainian member of the family of cold beetroot soups widespread across Central and Eastern Europe.